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SAN SALVADOR — U.S. President Barack Obama visited the tomb of slain Archbishop Oscar A. Romero when he visited the city’s metropolitan cathedral March 22. The archbishop, whose sainthood cause is being considered by the Vatican, was gunned down while celebrating Mass March 24, 1980, shortly after a radio broadcast in which he urged Salvadoran soldiers to stop turning their weapons on civilians in El Salvador’s civil war.

Salvadoran President Mauricio Funes and San Salvador Archbishop Jose Escobar Alas accompanied Obama to the cathedral crypt, where Archbishop Romero is buried.

Here are excerpts from the White House pool report, which refers to the president as POTUS — President Of The United States.

POTUS, having walked down opposite stairs into the crypt, looked at the tomb and a kneeler used by Pope John Paul II when he visited Salvador.

The tomb looks to be a bronze image of the dead Romero lying in repose, with statues of grieving nun-like women at each corner.

POTUS closed his eyes, briefly bowed his head and then turned back, looking subdued.

President Funes then gave him a picture looking like an allegory of (Archbishop) Romero’s life.

POTUS then lit candles as President Funes and the archbishop looked on before lighting candles themselves. Again, no audible comments from POTUS. Pool was ushered out of the cathedral at 6:50 and run past a few soldiers standing guard in full gear, toting assault rifles.

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7 Responses

We pray that God will, through the intercession of this great Archbishop, give our President Obama the knowledge to know the good and necessary things to say and do as did Archbishop Romero who was willing to stand up for those truths, even when he knew it might cause him his life. We pray that standing up for these truths will not cause the life of our President, but instead inspire many of us to stand up and be counted also! Fr. A Thompson

It is good that the President recognized the evil against the Archbishop by his murderers. I wish he also recognizes the evil of killing those who are not in a position to defend themselves by way of abortion which the President authorises. I commend the POTUS to Our Mother of Pepetual Help for her motherly help.